UAA Finals: Day 4

The Championship: We R 1 (66) Sports U (44)

Another championship for We R 1

The battle between tough Northeast teams initially resembled a classic old school Big East match-up. Players were physical with bumps and shoves as the game got underway and scoring was at a premium. Several minutes in both teams got into a scuffle with technical fouls awarded to each. After the ruckus, the Philly based We R 1 began their separation from their Jersey counterpart. Led by point guard Otis Livington We R 1 continued their physical play but began penetrating and moving the ball with precision. Extra passes were made and the open man was found as the team went 7-15 from the three point line. Livington led the way with 19 points and four assists and six other players scored at least six points in the game. Reserve guard Kwade Green hit two three’s and Derrick Jones provided a highlight reel dunk to end the game. Last year, We R 1 was a prominent team on the 16U circuit and now they leave Atlanta with the UAA finals championship to their name. As for SportsU, only two players ended up in double figures. 6’8” lanky power forward Chris Silva and 6’6” athletic wing Markis McDuffie.

16U Championship: New Heights (46) ATL Xpress (44)

It was fitting that a back and forth affair ended with a buzzer beater in the 16U final. New Heights from New York and the home town Atlanta Xpress were going back and forth the entire game with neither team getting a lead of more than five or six points. With 45 seconds left, New Heights regained a two point lead after shooting guard Ty Jerome hit a three from the wing. With the pressure on the Xpress, point guard Aaron Augustin got into the lane and dished it to 6’9” power forward Chris Clerkly for a lay-up. After a timeout and several misses, 6’5” Sayon Charles was all alone for a tip in as time expired.  

Other Notes:

LaGerald Vick, 6’5”, SG, 2015, Team Thad – In a competitive game with DC Premier, Vick was always a threat to score from the wing. An athletic shooting guard, Vick possessed quickness to get by his defender and also had a nice looking jump shot from inside the arc. In the 15 point win, Vick led the team with 14 points on 6-9 shooting.

Alani Moore, 5’9”, PG, 2016, DC Premier / Nate Darling, 6’4”, SG, 2016, DC Premier

The Dematha duo spearheaded a hard fought win over Team Felton in an intense game. The shifty junior point guard sliced and diced his way through the lane for lay-ups and assists. He made the defense pay for sagging off him with a wing three in the first half and then followed that up with a between the legs assist. Meanwhile, his high school teammate Nate Darling was lighting up the scoreboard in the first half hitting several deep three’s that grazed nothing but the bottom of the net. Not just a standstill shooter, Darling didn’t shy away from attacking the rim on fast breaks and found himself at the line several times. 

Larond Williams, 6’9”, PF, Team Superstar (CA) – The Team Superstar big man was all over the court on Saturday despite having a minimal impact on the scorebook. Williams finished with 6 points and 5 rebounds, but it was his intangibles that got him noticed from another court. The rising senior sports a Serge Ibaka type body and was constantly beating guards down the court. He was also a threat in the middle with several blocked shots. 

Nate Kennell, 6’5”, SG, 2016, Illinois Wolves – The 16U Wolves got off to a very slow start in the morning, but they were able to cut the halftime deficit to just a few manageable points. In the second half, Kennell caught fire from the corner and propelled his team to a blowout win. Once he saw the ball go through the net, Kennell picked up a bit of a swagger and couldn’t miss. Along with his threes from the wing, he also added a driving and one to finish in the high teens. 

Tomas Murphy, 6’8”, PF, 2017, NE Playaz – The youngest Murphy brother put on a show in the first half of his 16U game and later played in the Playaz 17U game. A long and lean 6’8”, Murphy played well in the post using his length to secure several shots in the paint. After scoring eight points over a few minute span, Murphy knocked in a three from the top of the key before coming out for a breather. Already advanced for his young age, Murphy had Florida coach Billy Donovan and an assistant in to see the last of the Murphy brothers. 

Mickey Bell, 6’4”, SG, Philly Pride – In a blowout of Canada Elite, Bell performed well on both sides of the ball. He hit three treys from outside the arc and also did a fairly decent job on the taller and more skilled Justin Jackson. Bell used his strength to bump Jackson on the defensive end and found open shots on the wing on the offensive end. Once the defenders were afraid of the jump shot, Bell was able to pump fake and get to the line on his drives.

Jon Davis, 6’3”, SG, DC Premier – Last year Davis led his 16U DC Assault team to the UA Summer Jam championship in Milwaukee. This year his team lost to rival Team Thad, but the 6’3” scoring guard was still the team’s leading scorer with 15 points. Not the most athletic of guards, Davis just has a knack for scoring the ball and did so in his last game going 5-9 from the field.

Prentiss Nixon, 6’1”, G, Illinois Wolves – On a talented Illinois Wolves team, Nixon finished an easy win with 8 points and 4 rebounds on 4-5 shooting in a blowout win of Diamond Stone’s team. The lead guard only dished two assists, but he created easier shots for teammates almost every time he looked to drive.